Just In! Women Could Soon Be Prescribed 'Female Viagra' To Boost Sex Drive

There are plenty of pills on the market to help men enjoy sex more, but so far there have been no successful medications to boost female desire. Until now, that is. A panel of experts in the US have just endorsed flibanserin, also known as the 'female Viagra', that is designed to increase a woman's sex drive. Intrigued? Read on!

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The American panel of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisers voted 18-6 in favour of the little pink pill yesterday, although they raised concerns about potential side effects including fatigue, low blood pressure, nausea and fainting. While their endorsement doesn't mean that the drug will be making its way into bedrooms just yet, it does mean that women suffering from low sex drive are one step closer to getting medical help. An official decision will be made in August but because the FDA often follows the advice of its experts, many assume that flibanserin will get the go-ahead soon.

Similar to Viagra, flibanserin is designed to boost sex drive. But while traditional Viagra typically works by increasing blood flow, this 'Viagra for women' acts on chemicals in the brain in a manner similar to antidepressants. Experts say that although its effect is not especially strong, it can offer help to those with female sexual problems. The drug would be aimed at premenopausal women with an unusually low sex drive, known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder. This condition is said to affect 7% of premenopausal women, according to Sprout Pharmaceuticals, the makers of flibanserin.

But how effective is this new 'Viagra for women' that is meant to be taken daily? Research shows that women taking flibanserin reported between 0.5 and one more sexually satisfying event each month, compared to those taking a placebo. They also reported having higher levels of desire and lower levels of stress. Could this new drug be the relationship and pleasure-boosting aid that women have been waiting for? Watch this space!